The Psychological Effects of Addiction

When we talk about the psychological effects and addiction together, the word addiction here most likely refers to ‘drug abuse’ or ‘drug addiction’. Drug abuse is the practice of repetitively misusing chemical substance(s) that tend to have miserable repercussions on a person adversely affecting their physical and mental health. These effects may vary in different individuals and significantly depend upon the usage, type, frequency and quantity of the substance used.

Effects of Drug Addiction

The effects of drug addiction ranges from mild to strong. Mild effects may include confusion, anxiety and sedation while strong effects can be worse and lethal which generally start from hallucinations and schizophrenia.

About 59 million people from all over the world are involved in drugs but not all of them are necessarily addicted to drugs. Addiction is identified when a person behaves abnormally after withdrawing themselves from the use of drugs. Repercussions of addiction which are witnessed can be comprehensive and philosophical as their effect varies from individual to individual. Rehabilitation centers are made to understand these repercussions and treat the drug addicts accordingly in order to assist them in giving up on drugs and restoring their health.

General side effects of respective chemical drugs:

Cocaine

Cocaine is one of the most commonly used drugs. A cocaine addict may show extreme signs of paranoia, depression, anxiety and erratic behavior. The addict behaves unusually in public and frequently have panic attacks upon withdrawal of addiction.

Opioids

Opioids can permanently damage a person’s brain through chronic insomnia and restlessness. It can cause the addict a medical condition known as hypoxia where the oxygen flow to the brain gets disrupted.

Marijuana

Marijuana infects the parts of brain that are held responsible for the function of hearing and visibility. People who are involved with Marijuana can have serious issues in concentrating on things. Continuous addiction of marijuana can lead the person in having destroyed short term memory leaving the person on an extreme psychological dependence.

MDMA

MDMA – MDMA is 3, 4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine is a hazardous drug that reduces the amount of serotonin that leads to severe anxiety including emotional imbalance, confusion and impaired cognition. It also effects memory.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens include Peyote, DMT, Ayahuasca, LSD and Psilocybin. These cause auditory and sensory hallucinations that take the patient into an illusion where they see and hear things that are not rational or real. Repetitive use hallucinogens can lead the patient to have flashbacks from the most traumatic events of their past life causing extreme kind of anxiety.

There are countless reasons why someone should not partake in the use of drugs, but many people fall victim to the harmful side effects of drug use. If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction, Triumph Recovery can help you before your drug use becomes detrimental to your health. Call us today if you have any questions, concerns, or are in need of support. (213) 314-3241